^ BY-LAWS  w* 


Sect/on  Cleveland 

Socialist  Labor  Party. 


C.  I*ezius.  Printer,  193  Champlain  St. 


# BY-LAWS  os 


— OF  — 


Section  Cleveland 


Socialist  Labor  Party. 


CLEVELAND,  O. 


C.  Iyezius.  Printer,  193  Champlain  St. 


“63U* 

^ c>  \ tArX- 


ffiy  - jCciws 

— OF  — 

Section  Cleveland  ^ 

Socialist  Labor  Party. 


Section  i Section  Cleveland  shall  be  organ- 
ized under  such  rules  and  regulations  as  have  been  or 
may  be  adopted  by  the  S.  L.  P.  of  America. 

Sec.  2.  It  may  be  sub-divided  in  branches  to 
facilitate  the  work  of  organization  and  propaganda. 

ARTICLE  II. 

Admission  of  Members. 

Sec.  i.  Any  person  of  either  sex  who  shall  sub- 
scribe to  the  declaration  of  principles  of  the  Socialist 
Labor  Party,  and  being  of  the  age  of  eighteen  or  over, 
is  eligible  as  a member  of  the  Section. 

Sec.  Applications  for  membership  shall  be  made 
on  blanks  furnished  for  that  purpose,  and  no  member 
shall  be  accepted  who  has  not  affirmed  all  questions 
asked. 


^ V\ 


— 4 — 


ARTICLE  III. 

Meetings. 

Sec.  i.  The  meetings  of  the  Section  shall  be  held 
at  stated  intervals  at  least  once  each  month  as  agreed 
upon  by  the  majority  present  at  the  place  designated 
for  that  purpose. 

Sec.  2.  The  organizer  or  secretary  of  the  section 
shall  call  the  meeting  to  order,  whereupon  a chairman 
shall  be  elected. 

ARTICLE  IV. 

Dues. 

Sec.  i.  The  dues  shall  be  twenty-five  cents  per 
month.  For  the  amount  paid  each  member  shall  re- 
ceive a due  stamp,  to  be  provided  by  the  financial  sec- 
retary from  the  secretary  of  the  state  committee,  and 
which  shall  be  affixed  to  his  membership  card. 

Sec.  2.  Unemployed  or  sick  members  shall  be 
exempt  from  dues. 

Sec.  3.  Women  members  shall  pay  the  sum  of 
ten  cents  per  month,  covering  the  cost  of  the  due 
stamp. 

ARTICLE  V. 

Officers. 

Sec.  1.  The  officers  of  the  section  shall  be  : 
Organizer, 

Recording  Secretary, 

Financial  Secretary, 

Treasurer, 

Librarian. 

Sec.  2.  The  term  of  office  shall  be  six  months 
and  until  their  successors  have  qualified. 

Sec.  3.  The  election  of  officers -shall  take  place 
ill  the  months  of  January  and  July. 


— 5 — 


ARTICLE  VI 

Admission  of  Members . 

Sec.  i After  a candidate  has  been  accepted  as  a 
member  the  chairman  of  the  meeting  shall  welcome 
him  in  the  ranks  as  follows  : 

Comrade  : In  welcoming  you  'to  membership  in 
the  Socialist  Labor  Party,  I take  it  for  granted  that 
you  have  become  conscious  of  the  fact  that  the  co- 
operation of  the  wage-  workers  is  necessary  to  ov(  r- 
throw  the  degrading  capitalist  system  of  wage  slav- 
ery. Realizing  that  concerted  agitation  of  the  toih  rs 
is  necessary  to  a successful  termination  of  the  class 
struggle,  by  your  enteiing  the  ranks  of  the  only  party 
pledged  to  revolutionize  the  social  system,  you  affirm 
the  principles  laid  down  in  our  constitution  and  plat- 
form. It  gives  me  pleasure  to  extend  to  you  the 
hand  of  fellowship.  H il  the  dawn  of  the  Co-opera- 
tive Commonwealth  !” 

ARTICLE  VII. 

Charges  and  Penalty. 

Sec.  i.  Charges  for  violating  the  obligation  of 
membership,  or  having  committed  anything  detri- 
mental to  S.  L.  P.  interests,  shall  be  preferred  in 
writing  and  referred  to  a committee  of  three  for 
investigation.  After  a hearing  of  both  sides,  the 
report  of  this  committee  shall  be  submitted  to 
the  section  at  the  earliest  possible  date,  and  if  found 
guilty  the  accused  shall  be  either  reprimanded,  sus- 
pend, d or  expelled.  It  shall  require  a two-third  vote 
of  those  present  and  voting,  to  expell  a member  from 
the  section.  Provided,  however,  that  before  the 


— 6 — 

penalty  goes  into  effect,  it  shall  be  approved  by  a 
general  vote  of  the  Section.  Appeal  may  be  taken  as 
provided  by  the  constitution. 

ARTICLE  VIII. 

Duties  of  Officers. 

Sec.  r.  The  duties  of  officers  shall  be  those  custo- 
mary to  the  position  held. 

ARTICLE  IX. 

Order  of  Business. 

Sec.  i.  The  order  of  business  shall  be  as  follows: 

a)  Minutes  of  previous  meeting. 

b)  Bills  and  Communications. 

c)  Reports  of  Committees. 

d)  Unfinished  Business. 

e)  Subject  for  next  meeting. 

f)  New  Business. 

g)  Propositions  for  Membership. 

h)  Five  minutes  recess  for  payment  of  Dues. 

i)  General  Discussion. 

j)  Receipts  and  Expenditures. 

k)  Adjournment. 


— 7 — 


ARTICLE  X. 

Central  Committee . 

Sec.  r.  The  various  branches  of  the  Section  shall 
elect  each  two  members  to  constitute  a Central  Com- 
mittee, which  shall  meet  at  stated  intervals  not  less 
than  once  a month,  with  other  sections  and  branches, 
and  to  transact  such  matter  as  is  referred  to  it  or 
such  other  labors  as  may  promote  the  propaganda  of 
the  party. 

Sec.  2.  It  shall  exercise  the  function  of  Executive 
andfCampai)jn  Committee  at  each  election,  and  have 
charge  of  the  campaign,  subject  to  approval  of  the 
Section. 

Sec.  3.  The  organizer  of  the  Section  shall  be  a 
member  ex-officio  of  said  committee. 

ARTICLE  X: . 

Arrears. 

Sec  1.  Members  in  arrears  for  dues  for  three 
months  shall  be  notified  by  the  Financial  Secretary, 
and  if  payment  is  not  forthcoming  within  four  weeks 
after  notification,  they  shall  be  stricken  from  the 
roll.  This  provision  shall  not  apply  to  sick  or  unem- 
ployed members,  who  have  reported  to  the  Financial 
Secretary. 

ARTICLE  XII. 

Miscellaneous. 

Sec.  1.  Privilege  of  the  floor  shall  be  accorded  to 
anyone,  but  the  time  limit  shall  be  ten  minutes. 
Extension  of  time  may  be  granted  on  motion  to  that 
effect. 


8 — 


Sec.  2.  Financial  Secretaries  of  branches  shall 
report  to  the  Central  Committee  during  the  month 
of  January  of  each  year  a full  list  of  the  members 
in  good  standing  or  otherwise. 

ARTICLE  XIII. 

Amendments. 

Sec  i.  These  by-laws  may  be  amended  at  any. 
meeting  by  a majority  vote  of  those  present  and  en- 
titled to  vote  upon  the  question;  provided,  notice  of 
of  the  proposed  amendment  has  been  given  at  a 
previous  meeting. 


